CIBN Financial Accounting
Past Questions

30+ verified Financial Accounting past questions for CIBN. Step-by-step worked answers in 5 Nigerian languages.

Financial Accounting topics (2)

Sample Financial Accounting past questions

1. Bank reconciliation matches cash book to:

  • A. Customer ledger
  • B. Bank statement
  • C. Trial balance
  • D. P&L

Answer: B

2. Unpresented cheques are:

  • A. Issued but not yet cleared
  • B. Cleared cheques
  • C. Forged cheques
  • D. Cancelled cheques

Answer: A

3. Bank charges in the cash book are:

  • A. Credit entries
  • B. Debit entries
  • C. Income
  • D. Liabilities

Answer: B

4. Direct debit reduces:

  • A. Bank balance
  • B. Income
  • C. Stock
  • D. Capital

Answer: A

5. A bank reconciliation statement reconciles the cash book with the:

  • A. Income statement
  • B. Bank statement
  • C. Trial balance
  • D. Ledger

Answer: B

6. Assets minus liabilities equals:

  • A. Revenue
  • B. Equity
  • C. Expenses
  • D. Profit

Answer: B

7. Interest received by a bank is recorded as:

  • A. Expense
  • B. Income
  • C. Liability
  • D. Asset

Answer: B

8. The fundamental accounting equation is:

  • A. Assets = Liabilities − Equity
  • B. Assets = Liabilities + Equity
  • C. Equity = Assets + Liabilities
  • D. Assets + Equity = Liabilities

Answer: B

AI Explanation

Assets = Liabilities + Equity. Every double-entry maintains this balance.

9. Which is a current asset?

  • A. Goodwill
  • B. Buildings
  • C. Trade receivables
  • D. Long-term loan

Answer: C

AI Explanation

Current assets are realised within 12 months. Trade receivables (debtors) are short-term claims.

10. Under accrual accounting, expenses are recognised when:

  • A. Cash is paid
  • B. Incurred, regardless of payment timing
  • C. The year ends
  • D. An audit is done

Answer: B

AI Explanation

Accruals concept: expenses are matched to the related revenue and recognised when incurred, not when paid.

11. Prudence principle requires that:

  • A. Profits be overstated
  • B. Assets/revenue not be overstated; liabilities/expenses not be understated
  • C. All items be ignored
  • D. Cash basis is used

Answer: B

AI Explanation

Prudence is caution under uncertainty: don't overstate gains/assets; don't understate losses/liabilities.

12. A debit entry increases:

  • A. Liabilities
  • B. Income
  • C. Assets and expenses
  • D. Capital

Answer: C

AI Explanation

Debits increase Assets and Expenses. Credits increase Liabilities, Equity and Income.

13. A trial balance is:

  • A. A formal financial statement
  • B. A list of all ledger balances at a date — checks debits = credits
  • C. A budget
  • D. A bank reconciliation

Answer: B

AI Explanation

Trial balance lists all general-ledger balances; debits must equal credits — arithmetic accuracy check.

14. Depreciation is BEST described as:

  • A. A cash outflow
  • B. Systematic allocation of an asset's cost over its useful life
  • C. Market-value revaluation
  • D. Impairment loss

Answer: B

AI Explanation

Depreciation allocates the depreciable amount (cost − residual value) over useful life — a non-cash expense.

15. Straight-line depreciation of a machine costing ₦500,000, residual ₦50,000, useful life 5 years:

  • A. ₦100,000/year
  • B. ₦90,000/year
  • C. ₦110,000/year
  • D. ₦50,000/year

Answer: B

AI Explanation

(500,000 − 50,000) ÷ 5 = ₦90,000 per year.

16. Closing inventory under IAS 2 should be valued at:

  • A. Cost only
  • B. Net realisable value only
  • C. Lower of cost and NRV
  • D. Higher of cost and NRV

Answer: C

AI Explanation

IAS 2: lower of cost and NRV — applies prudence and prevents asset overstatement.

17. Bad debts written off in the period are charged to:

  • A. Statement of changes in equity
  • B. Statement of profit or loss
  • C. Statement of financial position only
  • D. Cash flow only

Answer: B

AI Explanation

Bad debts and changes in allowance for doubtful debts are recognised as P&L expense.

18. Bank reconciliation explains the difference between:

  • A. Two trial balances
  • B. Cash book balance and bank statement balance at a date
  • C. Sales and purchases
  • D. Budget and actual

Answer: B

AI Explanation

Reconciles the entity's cash-book balance to the bank statement, identifying timing differences and errors.

19. An unpresented cheque in a bank reconciliation should be:

  • A. Added to the bank statement balance
  • B. Deducted from the bank statement balance to reach cash-book balance
  • C. Ignored
  • D. Reversed in the cash book

Answer: B

AI Explanation

Bank-side: bank balance − unpresented cheques + uncredited lodgements = cash-book balance.

20. Drawings by a sole proprietor are:

  • A. An expense in the income statement
  • B. A reduction of equity
  • C. An increase of liability
  • D. Revenue

Answer: B

AI Explanation

Drawings reduce the owner's capital. They are not P&L items but appear in equity/capital reconciliation.

21. A 'contra' entry in a cash book:

  • A. Moves money between cash and bank within the business
  • B. Records a sale
  • C. Records a bad debt
  • D. Records a purchase return

Answer: A

AI Explanation

Contra entries record movements between cash and bank columns (e.g. depositing till cash to bank).

22. Accrued expenses are:

  • A. Paid in advance
  • B. Incurred but unpaid at year-end
  • C. Recoverable expenses
  • D. Non-deductible

Answer: B

AI Explanation

Accrued expenses (e.g. unpaid wages at year-end) are recognised under accruals — Dr expense / Cr accruals.

23. A prepayment is:

  • A. Cash received in advance
  • B. Cash paid before the period it relates to
  • C. A bad debt
  • D. Loss on disposal

Answer: B

AI Explanation

Prepayment (prepaid expense) is cash paid before benefit received — current asset until consumed.

24. Closing inventory increase will:

  • A. Reduce gross profit
  • B. Increase gross profit
  • C. Have no effect
  • D. Increase liabilities

Answer: B

AI Explanation

Higher closing inventory lowers cost of sales (Opening + Purchases − Closing), so gross profit rises.

25. Discount allowed is:

  • A. An expense in profit or loss
  • B. Income in profit or loss
  • C. A revenue
  • D. A reduction in capital

Answer: A

AI Explanation

Discount allowed (to customers) is an expense; discount received (from suppliers) is income.

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